Improvement in turbine water-wheels



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. R. STILWELL. TURBINE WATER-WHEELS.

Patented 0ct.2, 1877.

ZSheets-Sheet 2 E. R. STILWELL.

TURBINE WATER-WHEELS.

No. 195,855. v Patented Oct.2,1877.

Unrrnn S'ra'rns Pnrntrr firmer.

EDWIN R. STILWELL, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN TURBINE WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 195,555, dated October2, 1877 application filed January 9, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, EDWIN 1t. STILWELL, of Dayton, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Turbine Water- Wheels, of which the following is aspecification:

My invention relates to an improved method of constructing water-wheels,the first object of which is to occupy the entire area of the wheel fromthe shaft outward with buckets, so as to employ a column of waterapproximating in area the net area of the wheel.

The second object of my invention is to increase the useful effect ofthe water employed on the wheel.

There are three important features of my invention, the first of whichrelates to the inclination to a vertical line of that part of thebucket-face opposite the chutes, and with the curve of the bucketarranged to shorten the line of travel of water striking the upper lineof the bucket. The second feature consists in an outward or downward andrearward extension of the buckets below the chute, thereby increasingthe discharge-area of the buckets, in the manner hereinafter explained.The third feature is in combining with the J onval the Fourneyron oroutward system of discharging the water from the wheel, all of whichwill be fully explained in the following specifications and drawings,making a part of the same.

Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of my invention. Fig.2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of one of thebuckets.

A represents the wheel-shaft; B, a crownplate of the preferred form,having a conical or curved hub, G. The figures from 1 to 10 representthe buckets, which are preferably cast in individual pieces, attached tothe wheel by bolts, D representing a place for a screwbolt on the top ofthe bucket, projecting downward through the crown-plate. E represents aface, which conforms and fits in exterior to the shape of thecrown-plate from the exterior inward to the shaft.

L represents an annular ring surrounding the buckets, and M represents aflange cast upon the upper and outer edge of that part of the bucketlying below the bucket-faces.

The flanges M of the several buckets are se mental arcs of a circle, andform, when p;. together, an annular flange, and are hooped 0r bandedtogether by means of the ring L. the buckets also being supported at thecrown plate and abutting the shaft A, as shown in Fig. 2. They arefirmly secured and held in position by the hoop or band L, which may beshrunk on or applied in any other way. The dotted lines in Fig. 1 showthe rearward inclination and relative position of the buckets, each ofwhich is inclined to overlap portions of two buckets next in rear. InFig. 2, bucket l is shown in plan, bucket 10 being broken awayandportions of bucket 9, thereby showing their relative relations. Theremaining buckets are shown in plan above the hoop L.

This wheel is designed to be used in any well-known case common toturbine waterwheels. That portion of the buckets marked Face lies withinthe chute-area to receive the impinging column of the water. In Fig. 2the circumference of the face is indicated by the interior segmentalarc-lines next to the face of the buckets. The bevel N, flange M, andhoop L project out under the chute-case, which case may or may notinclose the lower portion of the buckets, as desired; but a largeannulus or space must be provided adjacent to thedischarging-bucketorifices to allow a free outward discharge of the water, which leavesthe orifices tangentially in the direction --due to the shape of theorifice.

The outer edge of the bucket, below the chute, I prefer to have in aline parallel with the shaft; but these outer edges may be inclined, ifdesired-that is, the outer edges of the buckets may form what is calleda conical wheel at the top.

It will be observed from Fig. 2 of the drawing that the angle of thebuckets is much more nearly radial than the wheels in common use. Thisfeature is important when the buckets extend inward to the shaft.

By making the buckets of the angle, inclination, and curve here shown,the line of travel of the path of the water entering from the chute, andacting upon the different faces of the buckets, will be nearly the same.Thus the top of the entering column of water will strike upon the upperportion of the face, and

will trax'el and be discharged inside of that portion which enters thelower portion of the chute; yet the path of travel will be nearly thesame of each part of the column.

It will be observed that a portion of the buckets are made to extendoutward beneath the chute, and that the discharge-orifice outside of thevertical line of the face of the bucket is nearly half of that withinthe line. This extended area of discharge-orifice allows the "oiding ofall of the water which can be made to pass through a circle equal to thenet area of the smaller circle of the wheel.

Another important advantage is gained by this form of bucket anddelivery-orifice: the centrifugal force tends to carry the water outwardfrom the impinging-point on the face of the bucket, and the shape of thebucket and orifice is such as to receive the centrifugal force of thewater upon the curved angle of the bucket, thereby materially increasingthe percentage of power.

It is obvious that the form of the lower part of the wheel may beretained and the upper and outward face of the buckets could be madevertical, or nearly so, instead of inclined, and still retain thosefeatures of my invention corresponding to the second clause of my claim.Also, the upper portion of my wheel may be retained and thecircumference of the lower part of the wheel reduced to the samediameter as the upper half of the wheel, and thus correspond to thethird clause of my claim.

It is also obvious that the buckets, of substantially the same shape andangle, might be employed, except the central area now occupied by theshaft might be increased and the lower portion of the buckets extendedradially, and embody all the features referred to in my fourth clause ofclaim. It is also true that a portion of the inner portion of thedischargeorifice of the buckets might be dispensed with, and thedischarge nearly all be outward, instead of being vertical and outward,which modification will correspond to the fifth clause of the claimherein specified. So, also, the upper face of the buckets may be variedso as to be vertical, or nearly so, and still employ such features of myinvention as are specified in the claims where the angle of the face ofthe bucket is not made a specific feature in the claim.

I claim- 1. A turbine water-wheel composed of buckets whose faces areinclined, and which extend centrally to the shaft, from thence downward,rearward, and outward, forming a combined vertical and centrifugalsystem for discharging of the water acting on the wheel, substantiallyas set forth.

2. A turbine water wheel the buckets of which occupy the entire area ofthe wheel from the shaft outward, and which form the combined verticaland outwardly-discharging series of orifices, substantially as setforth.

3. A turbine water wheel the buckets of which occupy the entire area ofthe wheel from the shaft outward, with the faces inclined to a verticalline, which receive the water centrally upon the outer faces, and whichdischarge the same downwardly therefrom, substantially as set forth.

4. A turbine water-wheel whose buckets occupy the entire area of thewheel fi-om the shaft outward, and in which the lower portions of thebuckets which are below the chutes are of larger circumference, and havebetween their faces orifices for discharging the water outwardly fromthe buckets, substantially as set forth.

5. A turbine water-wheel whose buckets occupy the entire area of thewheel from the shaft outward, which have inclined faces and projectoutwardly below the chute, and overlapping each other, so as to form anoutwardly-discharging orifice beneath the chute, substantially as setforth.

4 6. A water-wheel the buckets of which have inclined faces, and whichproject outwardly and under the chute-case, and which are inclinedrearwardly to overlap each two buckets next in rear, and forming acombined outward and downward discharge for the water, as herein setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day ofJanuary, 1877.

EDWIN R. STILWELL.

Witnesses O. M. GOTTSCHALL, GEO. R. YOUNG.

